Surnames and Family Research Forum Archive

There are several options for you to consider. You didn't state the countines in which you found Ellen in the census records (and I didn't feel like looking them up myself), so I did an online search of Alabama Deaths 1908-1959 (ancestry.com) and there are a couple of possibles:

1) Ellen Diffay, died 28 Mar 1955 in Jefferson county, death cert no. 5118
2) Mrs. E. L. Diffey, died 8 Feb 1922 in Calhoun county, but this is the same death date as her apparent husband, E.L. Diffey.

3) There's also a Frank Diffay mentioned, died 27 Feb 1955 in Jefferson county, death cert no. 2942. If you cannot find the death infor for Ellen, it wouldn't hurt to order the death cert of her children, which will probably contain SOME information about their parents.

4) Ellen may have died in another state

5) Ellen may have married again and assumed another surname

At any rate, please remember the FIRST RULE OF GENEALOGY ... "Spelling Doesn't Count," so be flexible when you're searching for your ancestors. Try Diffay, Diffey, Diffie, Difie, Difay ... you see where' I'm going with this. Many former slaves and their children were not literate and many county registrars, etc. could barely spell themselves.